Elephants save leopard from lions

South Africa A lioness climbed a tree to steal food and attack a leopard, but had to abandon the fight when a herd of elephants arrived to chase her away.

FJ Mammes, head guide at Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, filmed the encounter between lions, leopards and elephants in the reserve, Latest Sightings reported on June 8. Mammes and his group were informed that the male Ravenscourt leopard had just killed an antelope, so they quickly went to the area to observe. On the way, they encountered two female lions also heading in the same direction.

Sometimes, lionesses will take advantage of the food that other predators have found. When they discover that a leopard has taken down its prey, the lioness will use her large and powerful body to intimidate her opponent and take the food.

When he arrived, Mammes found that the lionesses were also there. "One lion quickly climbed up a tree, causing the leopard to drop its meal. The second female grabbed the prey from the ground and ran away, while the first female started attacking the leopard," he said.

"Just when we thought the situation couldn't get any more tense, a herd of elephants emerged from the bushes. They seemed annoyed by the commotion and started roaring, causing the lioness in the tree to run away. The elephants continued to chase the lioness, allowing the leopard to escape. She also jumped out of the tree and ran away, leaving us in awe of what we had just witnessed," said Mammes.

African elephants ( Loxodonta ) are the largest land animals on Earth. They are herbivores with a wild lifespan of about 70 years. They weigh between 2.5 and 7 tonnes and are about 2.5 and 4 metres tall.

Elephants sometimes chase lions away because they feel threatened by the presence of these predators. When they see lions, they will roar loudly as a warning. Lions, being smaller and weaker, may feel scared and run away. Elephants are fiercely protective and want to keep their herd members safe. Therefore, they rely on their size and strength to intimidate lions, keeping predators away.

Thu Thao (According to Latest Sightings )

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